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Perry Watkins - Jack and the Beanstalk: Props (Arrows, Gold Bag, Oboe, Violin, Bows, Bread)

Jack and the Beanstalk: Props (Arrows, Gold Bag, Oboe, Violin, Bows, Bread) (1934-1943)

Perry Watkins (American, 1907-1974 )
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License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects.
Why is this image in the public domain?
This work was commissioned by the United States federal government as part of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) program. It is not subject to copyright protection.

Perry Watkins was the first African American set designer on Broadway. He was also a stage painter, makeup and costume artist, producer, and film art director.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island on April 13, 1907, Watkins attended Hope High School where he and a friend hand wrote and decorated a daily newspaper called “The Foolscape.” Awarded a scholarship to study art at the Rhode Island School of Design in 1926, he studied figure drawing under Vincent Bernasconi and still life under Asa G. Randall, the school’s most prominent artists.

Despite having his paintings displayed at the Springfield (Massachusetts) Museum and the Providence Art Club, he struggled financially and worked as a waiter, chauffeur, insurance salesman, reporter, draftsmen, and commercial illustrator. By 1936, unemployed and broke, he applied to the Federal Theatre Project with a sample production, and was quickly employed.

Starting as a stagehand and becoming assistant technical director at Lafayette Theatre in New York City, he began a flurry of work, painting drops, dying costumes, and operating the lighting for several shows.

In 1939 Watkins made a breakthrough, becoming the first black Broadway set designer when he was commissioned by Guthrie McClintock for Mamba’s Daughters.

As a result of the show’s incredible success and a recommendation by Robert Edmond Jones, Watkins was permitted to take the drafting and art exam for admission into the Set Designer’s Union. He passed it easily and became the first African American to be admitted. In 1939 he taught in the Rose McClendon Workshop Theatre and the following year designed the set for the revival of The Big White Fog at Lincoln Theatre in Harlem.

Later in life he ventured into film and television, working on art direction and design for films such as Hercules in New York (1969) which debuted Arnold Schwarzenegger, Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972), the critically acclaimed blaxploitation film Across 110th Street (1972), and Gordon’s War (1973).

Perry Robert Watkins passed away August 14, 1974 in New York City at the age of 66.

In Collection: Federal Theatre Project (View all 1212)

Children’s Festival

Children’s Festival (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Bethlehem: Kings’ Attendants

Bethlehem: Kings’ Attendants (1934-1943)

Rose Simon (American, 19th/20th century)
Sing for Your Supper: City Streets and Buildings

Sing for Your Supper: City Streets and Buildings (1934-1943)

Wood MacLane (American, 19th/20th century)
The Living Nespaper Presents Medicine Show

The Living Nespaper Presents Medicine Show (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Life and Death of an American: Kathleen Dorgan Lullaby Sara Floyd white lace blouse, blue skirt

Life and Death of an American: Kathleen Dorgan Lullaby Sara Floyd white lace blouse, blue skirt (1934-1943)

Alex Jones (American, 19th/20th century)
Bluebeard: Hunter

Bluebeard: Hunter (1934-1943)

Emile Stoner (American, 19th/20th century)
Counsellor at Law

Counsellor at Law (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Bassa Moona: Sketch no. 1 (Back Drop)

Bassa Moona: Sketch no. 1 (Back Drop) (1934-1943)

Lester J. Vermillia (American, 19th/20th century)
On Top: Designed for Jane Wilday. White gown with black ruffle and black collar and cuff

On Top: Designed for Jane Wilday. White gown with black ruffle and black collar and cuff (1934-1943)

Emile Stoner (American, 19th/20th century)
New York Fireman: Green shirt, green vest, blue scarf, red mittens, patched red trousers

New York Fireman: Green shirt, green vest, blue scarf, red mittens, patched red trousers (1934-1943)

Lucie Gilligan
Run Little Chillun: Men Dancers. Curled bronze skirt, wih matching arm and wrist bands

Run Little Chillun: Men Dancers. Curled bronze skirt, wih matching arm and wrist bands (1934-1943)

B. House (American, 19th/20th century)
The World Applauds

The World Applauds (1934-1943)

Anonymous
Caesar and Cleopatra: Sketch no. 3 Act I, Scene 1 (Interior with Window to Desert Outside) 2

Caesar and Cleopatra: Sketch no. 3 Act I, Scene 1 (Interior with Window to Desert Outside) 2 (1934-1943)

Frederick Stover (American, 20th Century)
Pinnochio

Pinnochio (1934-1943)

Anonymous
The Machine Age: Airport Exterior

The Machine Age: Airport Exterior (1934-1943)

Walter Walden (American, 20th Century)
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License: All public domain files can be freely used for personal and commercial projects. .
Why is this image in the public domain?
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